Laura Brooks competing in Austria (photo courtesy of Daisy Martin)

Nursing student Laura Brooks has been competing for Great Britain’s triathlon team at the European Championships in Austria.

Laura, 27, from Stanford le Hope, is just about to start her second year of her MSc in Adult Nursing. She started competing in triathlons at the end of 2012 with a small sprint triathlon held at a local swimming pool.

Now she has just returned from gaining 8th place at the 2016 Walchsee ETU Challenge Middle Distance Triathlon European Championships in the 25-29 female category.

She said: “I had a lot of injuries in 2013, but I signed up for the Challenge Weymouth ironman in memory of my cousin in 2014. It was actually my finish time and position in that race – I came second in my age group - which got me into the GB team for the Challenge Rimini 70.3 ETU championships in 2015 where I came second (out of a small field!). That qualified me for Austria this year, so I was very lucky!”

Laura captained the university football team when she was studying sports science – she graduated with a first in 2011. Other personal sporting highlights include winning the Fambridge half ironman event this year.

She said: “My hopes for the future are to keep improving and eventually do another ironman. Next year I will probably look at duathlons and Olympic distance triathlons so I can focus on qualifying as a Nurse a bit more!

“I would love to keep competing in the GBR team and one day win a Gold! But I know that's a long way off yet!!”